Conman promised victims cheap flats saying he was ATS chief's friend

The accused has been identified as Mustak Abubakar Batliwala. Batliwala duped many people convincing them he shared a close relationship with Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Rakesh Maria. "Batliwala visited several pa rties and promised victims cheap MHADA flats as he was friends with Rakesh Maria," said a police officer. He also convinced them he could get them passports quickly.u00a0

Batliwala conned complainant Saima Khan (25) into believing that he was a godman. "He made Khan buy amulets for her family for Rs 1.2 lakh. Batliwala also convinced the family members that their gold ornaments were ‘possessed' and took them with him to rid them of spirits. When he didn't return them and stopped answering their calls, Khan registered a complaint with the police station," said an officer.

Later, the police officials got in touch with Khan's Mumbra-based friend and asked her for Batliwala's brother's address. The police team reached the Bhandup address and arrested Batliwala, who later confessed to the crime. He has been booked under section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 404 (dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).u00a0